Catholic News

Pope Leo XIV may get the opportunity to watch his alma mater play basketball in person during the 2026-2027 season. According to a report from CBS Sports, the Villanova and Notre Dame men's and women's basketball teams have received special clearance from the NCAA to open their seasons in Rome for a doubleheader on Nov. 1.

The college basketball season officially starts on Nov. 2 but, according to the report, the NCAA approved a waiver in January to allow the teams to start one day before given the precedence of these games.

Both universities are prominent Catholic schools that have ties to the pope. Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, is a 1977 alumnus of Villanova University. As for the University of Notre Dame, it is regarded as the most prominent Catholic institution of higher learning in the world and has an outpost in Rome.

It is well known that Pope Leo is an avid sports fan. He has already welcomed several athletes to the Vatican during his papacy, including the SSC Napoli soccer team after its league championship in May 2025 and Italian professional tennis player Jannik Sinner. Many have also seen the viral image of the pope attending game 1 of the Chicago White Sox's World Series run in 2005.

The teams will play the doubleheader at the Palazzetto dello Sport, also known as the PalaTiziano. The arena seats 3,500 people and was built in the late 1950s for the 1960 Olympics in Rome. It is about 30 minutes away from the pope's residence in Vatican City.

The director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told EWTN News it was "too early to tell" if Leo will participate in the historic game.

According to the report, officials from both universities have been in contact with the pope and people around the Holy See. Leadership from Notre Dame had a private meeting with Pope Leo in November 2025 and Villanova officials attended the pope's inaugural Mass.

For the men's teams, it is believed this will be the first season opener outside of the U.S. in men's college basketball history.

For the Notre Dame women, this will be their second regular season game outside of the country. They opened the 2023-2024 season against South Carolina in Paris.

Hannah Brockhaus contributed to this report from Rome.

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A growing chorus of U.S. bishops on Feb. 11 called on the University of Notre Dame to rescind the controversial appointment of a pro-abortion advocate to lead one of the revered Catholic institution's academic departments.

Earlier in the day Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, Bishop Kevin Rhoades issued a statement criticizing the university for appointing global affairs Professor Susan Ostermann as director of the school's Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies.

Rhoades said the school's appointment of Ostermann — in spite of her public and uncompromising support for abortion — had caused a scandal and threatened Notre Dame's Catholic identity and mission. He urged the school to rescind the nomination before it goes into effect on July 1.

Several of Rhoades' fellow prelates subsequently joined the call for Notre Dame to reverse Ostermann's appointment. Among them was Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila, who in a post on X thanked Rhoades for his statement and said that the school's decision "tarnishes Our Lady's university and what it means to be Catholic."

"I pray that those who can rescind this terrible appointment will do so! Pray for the conversion of hearts!" the archbishop wrote.

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Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron similarly offered his "strong support" for Rhoades' statement, arguing that Ostermann is "not simply 'pro-choice'" on the question of abortion.

Rather, "she is a sharp critic of the pro-life position and those who advocate it," Barron said, pointing out that Ostermann has "characterize[d] the anti-abortion stance as rooted in white supremacy and racism" and "insinuated that the Catholic commitment to integral human development implies the support of abortion rights."

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Barron said he has "strong connections to and deep affections" for the university. "I believe that going ahead with this appointment is repugnant to the identity and mission of that great center of Catholic learning," he wrote.

Fort Worth, Texas, Bishop Michael Olson also offered his support for Rhoades "in his carrying out of his pastoral responsibility."

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The bishop called for prayers that the university might "reconsider this distressing decision."

Support for Rhoades did not just come from his brother bishops. Actress and outspoken Catholic pro-life advocate Patricia Heaton thanked both Barron and Rhoades for their statements on Feb. 11.

Former U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, who was named as a Pope Leo XIII Fellow on Social Thought at the University of Dallas in 2023, also thanked Rhoades, writing on X: "Public witness is extremely powerful and must be used to point all to the truth."

Though backlash to the appointment has been growing for weeks, the university has not backed off the controversial decision. The school told the Irish Rover as recently as Feb. 8 that it had "not changed its position" on Ostermann's leadership of the department.

Ostermann herself told the National Catholic Register on Jan. 29 that her role at the school "is to support the diverse research of our scholars and students, not to advance a personal political agenda."

"I respect Notre Dame's institutional position on the sanctity of life at every stage," she told the Register, describing herself as "inspired by the university's focus on integral human development, which calls us to promote the dignity and flourishing of every person."

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The state-sanctioned Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCC) backed the government's ban on unregistered clergy engaging in pastoral work and using unapproved sites for worship.

The BCCC said in a Feb. 4 statement that "religious groups must comply with relevant laws and regulations when conducting religious activities," describing compliance as a matter of "national and public interest." The statement aligned with the Chinese Communist Party's controls over the region.

Nina Shea, Hudson Institute senior fellow, called on Pope Leo XIV to summon the Chinese Catholic bishops' conference for supporting the "suppression of Chinese Catholicism."

"That the heads of these entities are the bishops of Beijing and Shanghai, China's most important dioceses, is shameful," she told EWTN News. "Pope Leo should immediately summon them to Rome to review their episcopal authority."

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) controls stipulate that religious activities occur in "registered" religious venues by "certified and registered religious personnel."

Though the bishops noted religious groups may request to carry out their activities in a temporary location with prior permission from the government, no unauthorized clergy may ever preside over such activities for any reason, according to Article 40 of the Regulations on Religious Affairs.

Shea, who also directs the Center for Religious Freedom, said: "Supporting the CCP ban on unregistered clergy and churches directly conflicts with Vatican policy."

"[Pope Leo] should disclose the content of the Holy See's provisional agreement with China and review whether this new Chinese policy constitutes a breach of the agreement's terms or even of its spirit," she said.

Shea cited a 2007 letter from Pope Benedict XVI to the Chinese Catholic Church in which the late pontiff described the Chinese government's bid to impose its own structure on the Church in China as "incompatible with Catholic doctrine."

Shea said the Vatican's 2019 pastoral guidance to members of the Chinese Catholic Church affirmed that a cleric had the right to "individually follow one's conscience on whether to refuse to take the pledge renouncing foreign influence, such as papal influence — a pledge required to register with the state's Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and its bishops' conference."

"This new position in support of banning and criminalizing those clergy who refuse to take the pledge renouncing papal authority lays bare these entities as mere party tools for communist control and suppression of Chinese Catholicism," Shea said.

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The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), commonly known as the Vatican Bank, announced the launch of two new equity benchmarks developed in partnership with Morningstar Indexes.

The two indexes, the Morningstar IOR Eurozone Catholic Principles and the Morningstar IOR US Catholic Principles, are designed to serve as global reference points for investments that adhere to Catholic teaching, according to a Feb. 10 IOR press release.

Each index includes 50 medium- and large-cap companies selected in accordance with the IOR's Investment Policy, which is guided by the social doctrine of the Catholic Church, according to the press release.

The indexes exclude companies involved in activities inconsistent with Catholic teachings, the IOR said.

According to the press release, the initiative will strengthen the IOR's commitment to responsible and ethical finance, allowing Catholic institutions, dioceses, religious orders, and other faith-aligned investors worldwide to benchmark and evaluate performance in a manner consistent with Catholic teaching, particularly on issues related to life, social responsibility, and environmental protection.

Robert Edwards, managing director for EMEA at Morningstar Indexes, stated: "Investors increasingly seek benchmarks that reflect specific values-based or policy-driven criteria. Morningstar's transparent, rules-based approach ensures client-defined standards are applied consistently and objectively."

Giovanni Boscia, deputy director general, CFO, and head of asset management at the IOR, added: "With the launch of these two new equity indexes, the IOR takes a further step forward in the process that has seen it adopt international best financial practices for years, in strict compliance with the principles of the social doctrine of the Church."

"Having benchmarks built in accordance with recognized Catholic ethical criteria allows us to make our performance assessment and reporting processes even more rigorous and transparent," Boscia continued. "This initiative reaffirms our commitment as a financial institution serving the Church, further strengthening the role of the IOR as a reference point for the Catholic world."

In 2022, the Vatican issued Mensuram Bonam, which means "a good measure." It is a document intended to guide Catholics to think and act according to the teachings of the Church in their investment decisions, including considering how their economic actions affect the poor.

Last year, in its annual report, the IOR showed a net profit of 32.8 million euros in 2024, representing a 7% increase compared with 2023, attributing its positive financial performance with "numerous improvements" made, including adding specialized personnel and making strategic investments in digital and technological infrastructure.

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On the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes — the Church's World Day of the Sick — Prince George Bishop Stephen Jensen called people of faith to prayer and penance following Tuesday's mass school shooting in Tumbler Ridge in northern British Columbia, Canada.

"The unimaginable tragedy that struck the community of Tumbler Ridge yesterday has traumatized us all," Jensen said in a statement released Wednesday morning.

At least 10 people were confirmed dead, with dozens injured, after a mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a nearby residence.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the suspected shooter, believed to be an 18-year-old woman, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted wound. Lockdowns and an emergency alert were lifted as officers secured the town and moved students to safety. Investigators continue examining connections between the shooter and victims.

School District 59 announced that Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will remain closed for the rest of the week as the community mourns and recovers.

Tumbler Ridge, a northeastern British Columbia community of about 2,500 people, is located roughly 400 kilometers (249 miles) northeast of Prince George within the Diocese of Prince George. The town has one Catholic parish, Holy Cross Mission, served by Our Lady of Peace Parish in Chetwynd, about an hour northwest. There is no Catholic school.

Messages of prayer and solidarity poured in from across the country to the parish's Facebook page. Father Jeevan Bandanadham, SAC, pastor of Holy Cross Mission in Tumbler Ridge and Our Lady of Peace Parish in Chetwynd, reached out to parishioners Tuesday evening, saying he was "deeply saddened" to hear of the shooting.

"I am very concerned for each of you. I sincerely hope that you and your families are safe and doing well. Please know that you are in my heartfelt thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. May God surround you with his peace, comfort, and protection. Good night, and may God bless you all."

Jensen said in his statement: "The most effective response we can offer for the intentions of the dead and the survivors, their families, the emergency responders, the parish community and town, is our own prayer and penance, which God has provided that we can use to address suffering and help bring mercy and healing to all."

Other Catholic leaders across British Columbia echoed that call to prayer. In Vancouver, Archbishop Richard Smith expressed solidarity with the Diocese of Prince George and the grieving community.

"I was deeply saddened to learn of yesterday's tragic violence in Tumbler Ridge," he said. "Together with everyone in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, I offer my prayers for all who have lost loved ones and for the entire community in mourning."

His message ended: "In this time of grief, may the Lord draw close to those who suffer and grant strength to all who care for them. Let us join together in prayer for peace and healing in our province."

Bishop Michael Kwiatkowski of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of New Westminster and state chaplain for the British Columbia and Yukon Knights of Columbus said he had reached out to clergy in his eparchy immediately.

"We are shocked and saddened by the horrific event that took place in the northern community of Tumbler Ridge," he wrote to priests. "Please offer a prayer for this intention in these days in your parish liturgies together with your parishioners."

He added that while there is a Catholic mission parish in Tumbler Ridge, there is no local Knights of Columbus council, though Knights are exploring ways to assist the community.

Jensen noted the start of Lent in one week, "a time for more intense prayer and penance — personal sacrifice — to beg God's healing grace for our lives and for the world."

Jensen closed his message by stating: "Today is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. In the words of the familiar prayer, we turn to her 'mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.' May we all unite our prayers to Our Lady's intercession to ask for God's presence and mercy in our suffering world."

This story was first published by The B.C. Catholic and is reprinted here with permission. The story has been updated with the age of the alleged shooter.

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Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, Bishop Kevin Rhoades on Feb. 11 expressed "dismay" and "strong opposition" to the University of Notre Dame's appointment of a pro-abortion professor to a leadership position at the school, with the bishop urging the university to "make things right" and rescind the appointment.

Notre Dame has been at the center of controversy since early January when it named global affairs Professor Susan Ostermann as director of the school's Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies.

Ostermann is an outspoken pro-abortion advocate who has regularly criticized the pro-life movement, up to and including linking it to white supremacy and misogyny. The university has come under fire for the appointment, including from Catholic advocates and pro-life students at Notre Dame.

Bishop urges school to retract appointment

In his Feb. 11 statement, Rhoades — whose diocesan territory includes the university — said that since the controversy began he has read many of Ostermann's pro-abortion op-eds and was moved to "express my dismay and my strong opposition to this appointment," which he said is "causing scandal to the faithful of our diocese and beyond."

Ostermann's public support of abortion and her "disparaging and inflammatory" criticism of the pro-life movement "go against a core principle of justice that is central to Notre Dame's Catholic identity and mission," the prelate said.

The professor's pro-abortion advocacy and her remarks about pro-life advocates "should disqualify her from an administrative and leadership role at a Catholic university," Rhoades said.

While expressing hope that Ostermann would "explicitly retract" her pro-abortion advocacy and change her mind on abortion, the bishop said that the appointment "understandably creates confusion" regarding Notre Dame's Catholic mission and identity.

Leadership appointments "have [a] profound impact on the integrity of Notre Dame's public witness as a Catholic university," Rhoades said.

The bishop in issuing the letter cited the apostolic constitution Ex Corde Ecclesiae, which directs in part that bishops "have a particular responsibility to promote Catholic universities, and especially to promote and assist in the preservation and strengthening of their Catholic identity."

"I call upon the leadership of Notre Dame to rectify this situation," Rhoades said. Noting that Ostermann's appointment is not scheduled to go into effect until July 1, the prelate wrote: "There is still time to make things right."

The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment from EWTN News. Yet the school has defended Ostermann's appointment since the controversy erupted, telling media that she is "a highly regarded political scientist and legal scholar" who is qualified to lead the Liu Institute.

"Those who serve in leadership positions at Notre Dame do so with the clear understanding that their decision-making as leaders must be guided by and consistent with the university's Catholic mission," the school said.

Among criticism from both within and without the school, at least two scholars have resigned their position at the Asian studies institute in response to the appointment.

Robert Gimello, a research professor emeritus of theology who is an expert on Buddhism, told the National Catholic Register that his "continued formal association with a unit of the university led by such a person is, for me, simply unconscionable."

Diane Desierto, a professor of law and of global affairs, also told the Register that she had cut ties with the institute over the appointment.

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Cardinal Anthony Poola has been elected president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), becoming the first Dalit — a member of India's historically marginalized "untouchable" castes — to lead the nation's bishops.

The election took place during the CBCI's General Body Meeting, held Feb. 4–10 at St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences in Bangalore, according to a Feb. 10 press release from the bishops' conference.

In a statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting, the bishops called for the repeal of anti-conversion legislation that several Indian states have enacted to criminalize religious conversions allegedly accomplished through force, fraud, or inducement.

The bishops assert that such laws violate India's constitution and lead to false arrests of Christians.

"Innocent people face arrest due to false allegations of forced conversion," the bishops said, demanding "the repeal of all legislation undermining religious freedom and privacy."

Poola's election represents a historic moment in a nation where caste discrimination remains deeply rooted despite constitutional protections. The 64-year-old archbishop of Hyderabad was created cardinal by Pope Francis in August 2022, becoming the first Dalit elevated to the College of Cardinals.

Dalits, whose name literally means "trampled upon," have historically been treated as "untouchables" in India's caste system and traditionally relegated to menial work. A significant majority of India's Catholics are from Dalit backgrounds.

Archbishop Anil Joseph Couto of Delhi was elected secretary-general of the CBCI, according to the press release. Archbishop Thomas Mar Koorilos of Tiruvalla and Archbishop Mathew Moolakkatt of Kottayam were elected vice presidents.

In his first message as CBCI president, Poola thanked God "for the confidence" of his "brother bishops" and "the people of God for their prayer, goodwill, and confidence in my leadership."

He said he receives the role "with humility, conscious that leadership in the Church is a service rooted in listening, prayer, and shared discernment," and committed to working "for the unity of the Churches in India, the unity of Christians, and a deeper unity with the people of our nation."

In a time "marked by division, violence, and growing social tensions," Poola said, the Church "is called to be a sign of reconciliation, dialogue, and hope."

Constitutional rights under threat

The bishops' statement emphasized that "at a time when freedom and human rights are increasingly disregarded, we reaffirm our faith in the constitution of India," which envisions the country as "a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic" securing justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity for all citizens.

Article 25 of the India Constitution guarantees that "all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion."

However, several Indian states have enacted anti-conversion laws in recent years that require individuals to obtain government permission before changing their religious affiliation. The laws impose penalties including imprisonment for those accused of facilitating conversions.

Hindu nationalist groups and vigilante organizations frequently use these laws to accuse Christians of using deceptive tactics to convert people, charges Christians deny.

The same groups frequently carry out violence against religious minorities, with critics saying arrests of those accused of conversions often proceed without due process of law. Vigilantes have stormed prayer meetings and church gatherings where Christians are sometimes forced to perform Hindu rituals.

Such attacks form part of what activists describe as a broader agenda of "saffronization" — an effort to impose Hindu values and identity while restricting other religions.

Couto told EWTN News that the federal government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a duty to protect all religious minorities in adherence to the constitution. No religious minority community should ever feel discriminated against based on religion, he said.

Before the assembly, Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, outgoing CBCI president, urged Modi on Feb. 3 to condemn attacks on Christians and said the government has a duty to protect the rights of religious minorities.

"We have been approaching government authorities whenever there is an attack," Thazhath said. "We don't counterattack. We have personally raised the issue with Modi. The latest was when he joined us for Christmas celebrations. Protecting the rights of minorities and Christians is the duty of the government."

"Whenever we go to the authorities, they say they [the attackers] are fringe groups," he added. "But take control of those fringe groups."

Discrimination against Dalit Christians

The bishops expressed particular concern about how Dalit Christians and Muslims are denied government welfare benefits in education and employment, facing discrimination based on religion.

"The denial of rights to Dalit Christians has continued for decades as an indirect form of discrimination, despite numerous appeals for equality and justice," the CBCI statement said. "We express our concerns about the denial of rights to the minorities, as such acts weaken the democratic fabric of our society."

In 1950, the federal government enacted legislation listing Hindu Dalits as "Scheduled Caste," making them eligible for free education and a 15% quota in government jobs and legislatures to improve their social status. The "Scheduled Caste" privileges were extended to Sikh Dalits in 1956 and Buddhist Dalits in 1990 but have been denied to Muslim and Christian Dalits.

"While maintaining our commitment to eliminate any type of discrimination existing in the ecclesial communities based on caste or language, we urge the government to ensure that no citizen is denied the fundamental rights of equality and freedom," the bishops said.

John Dayal, a senior Catholic lay leader and human rights activist, said that in a climate of growing anti-Christian violence, bishops and others have a crucial role in easing communal tensions and reinforcing advocacy for religious freedom and minority rights.

Safeguarding constitutional values

The bishops stressed that "protecting basic rights for everyone — regardless of caste, creed, or language — is essential in this situation."

"Genuine Christian living inspires us to be law-abiding citizens who promote peace and defend human rights," they said. "Fidelity to the Constitution of India flows from our Christian faith and our commitment to the common good, freedom of conscience, the dignity of every person, and the protection of India's plural, secular, and democratic character."

The Church's socially uplifting initiatives for the poor spring from its deep-rootedness in Christ and faithfulness to constitutional values, the bishops added.

"We encourage all the faithful to continue participating actively in nation-building, guided by truth, compassion, and moral courage," they said.

The Church remains committed to fostering dialogue, reconciliation, and fraternity amid polarization and mistrust, the bishops said. Inspired by Christian faith, its members seek the way of forgiveness when deprived of human dignity and rights.

"We take upon sustained interreligious dialogue and civil-society engagement, standing in solidarity with all those who face injustice or exclusion, and working together for peace, social harmony, and the protection of human dignity," the bishops said.

Founded in 1944, the CBCI comprises the Latin rite and two Eastern Catholic Churches — the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches. Christians constitute 2.3% of India's 1.4 billion population, while Muslims represent 15% and Hindus nearly 80%.

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Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced that Carrie Prejean Boller has been removed from President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission.

"No member of the commission has the right to hijack a hearing for their own personal and political agenda on any issue," said Patrick, who serves as chair of the commission, in a post on X. "This is clearly, without question, what happened Monday in our hearing on antisemitism in America."

"This was my decision," he added.

Boller, a Catholic who is former Miss California USA, sparked a debate Feb. 9 among fellow commissioners and panelists at a hearing focused on the topic of on antisemitism when she said her Catholic faith prevents her from embracing Zionism and repeatedly pressed Jewish panelists on whether her views made her an antisemite.

The Church recognizes Israel's fundamental right to exist and universally condemns antisemitism. Catholic teaching does not explicitly oppose Zionism, the movement supporting Jewish self-determination in a homeland in Israel. Israel is seen as God's chosen people through whom God revealed himself and prepared the way for the coming of Jesus Christ.

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Patrick praised the work of the commission, which has held five hearings and has two more scheduled. He described testimonies that have been shared with the commission as "both illuminating and heartbreaking."

He said: "This spring, the commission will deliver one of the most important reports in American history directly to the president."

The commission is a federal advisory panel created in May 2025 under the Trump administration to provide guidance to the White House on protecting religious freedom in the United States. Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, are members.

Boller told EWTN News after the hearing that members of the commission asked her to resign a few months ago but that she refused. She also said several members asked to meet with her before the Feb. 9 hearing to discourage her from making her planned remarks. "They were seeing what I was going to say in the hearing, trying to silence me," she said. "I told them I won't be silenced."

Boller did not immediately respond to a request for comment about her removal from the panel.

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On Feb. 11, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. In Lourdes, France, in 1858, 13-year-old Bernadette Soubirous was collecting pieces of wood as part of her daily chores when she noticed a startling wind and rustling sound. The noise came from a nearby grotto. When Bernadette looked toward it, she saw it filled with a golden light and a beautiful lady.

It was at this grotto that the Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette 18 times and where millions of Catholic pilgrims visit the healing waters at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Records have been kept from the exchanges between Bernadette and the Blessed Mother. Here are five of the most fascinating facts about the apparitions that took place at the grotto:

1. Paralysis

When Bernadette first saw the beautiful lady in the grotto during the first apparition, on Feb. 11, 1858, it is said she immediately smiled at Bernadette and signaled to her to come closer, in the same way a mother motions to her child. Bernadette took out her rosary and knelt before the lady, who also had a rosary on her right arm. When Bernadette tried to begin saying the rosary by making the sign of the cross, her arm was paralyzed. It was only after the lady made the sign of the cross herself that Bernadette was able to do the same. The lady remained silent as Bernadette prayed the rosary, but the beads of her rosary passed between her fingers.

2. The secret prayer

During the fifth apparition, which took place on Feb. 20, 1858, the Lady taught Bernadette a prayer, which she recited every day for the rest of her life. She never revealed the prayer to anyone, but she did say she was told to always bring a blessed candle with her. This is why candles perpetually burn at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes.

3. The lady shares her name

At the 16th apparition, on March 25, 1858, the feast of the Annunciation, the lady revealed her identity to Bernadette, calling herself the "Immaculate Conception."

4. The burn of fire

Bernadette never forgot to bring a lighted candle to the grotto since she was told to do so by the lady. During the 17th apparition, on April 7, 1858, Bernadette unconsciously placed one of her hands over the burning flame. Witnesses saw the flame burning through her fingers, and yet she was able to pray for 15 minutes with the flame burning her hand. As she emerged from her prayer, she was unscathed and didn't even notice cries of horror from the people in the crowd. Dr. Pierre Romaine Dozous, a well-known physician from Lourdes, took another lit candle and, without warning, placed the flame to her hand. Bernadette immediately cried out in pain.

5. The miracle of Bernadette's body

After the apparitions ended, Bernadette went on to become a Sister of Charity. She died at age 34 on April 16, 1879. She was buried on the convent grounds in Nevers, France. Thirty years later, on Sept. 22, 1909, her body was exhumed and found completely intact. A second exhumation took place on April 3, 1919. The body was found in the exact same state as it had been 10 years earlier. Bernadette was canonized a saint on Dec. 8, 1933, by Pope Pius XI.

This story was first published on Feb. 11, 2022, and has been updated.

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Pope Leo XIV wants to travel to Jerusalem in 2033 to commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. The Jubilee of Redemption is an event that is shaping up to be a historic opportunity to advance toward the full and visible unity of Christians.

However, the main obstacle to this goal remains the rift between the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate and the Patriarchate of Constantinople, an expert told ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.

Father Frans Bouwen, a missionary of the Society of Missionaries of Africa — known as the White Fathers — and an expert in ecumenical dialogue, explained the complexity of the situation: "Moscow currently refuses to participate in ecumenical meetings where Constantinople is present, which also conditions its participation and that of the local churches aligned with it."

The future ecumenical event, framed within the bimillennial Jubilee of the Redemption, was announced by the Vatican after the ecumenical meeting in which the pontiff participated during his trip to Turkey held at Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church in Istanbul.

That meeting was also attended by representatives of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, and other Christian communions and ecumenical organizations. Among the participants were also envoys from the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran World Federation, the Baptist World Alliance, the World Evangelical Alliance, and the World Council of Churches.

However, the Russian Orthodox were absent. As revealed by Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, in an interview with Crux, the patriarchate of Constantinople did not invite the Russian Orthodox Church.

The decision, he explained, was to invite the oldest Orthodox churches, which include the patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem.

"Catholics invite Catholics, and Orthodox invite Orthodox," he said. "The decision not to invite the largest Orthodox church in the world was theirs to make, and I respect the decision of the Orthodox."

There are still seven years until 2033, and many things can change, both in the ecumenical and geopolitical spheres. In any case, for Bouwen, for the 2033 pilgrimage to fulfill its objective and leave no one behind, the authentic participation of all the churches will be essential.

"The specific paths of preparation must be studied and decided together, ecumenically, following a synodal approach, seeking to actively involve as many churches as possible. It is essential that contacts be established between the churches as soon as possible, creating working groups at both the local and global levels. Perhaps a preparation in different stages, as the Catholic Church did for the Jubilee of the Year 2000, would be advisable," explained the priest, who has been in Jerusalem for over 40 years.

Ecumenical dialogue with Rome has progressed in recent years, but the situation within Orthodoxy is complicated.

New rift over Ukraine

The turning point came in 2018 when Bartholomew I granted autocephaly (self-governance) to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, separating it from being under the Moscow Patriarchate. Patriarch Kirill considered the move meddling and broke off Eucharistic communion with Constantinople, opening a rift that persists to this day.

The conflict has intensified, in part, due to Kirill's support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, prompting Russian warnings of potentially even more drastic measures.

For Bouwen, this rupture is not theological in nature but rather canonical and geopolitical, linked above all to the status of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. "Russia considers Kyiv to be the place of its baptism and its birthplace, [with the baptism of Vladimir, Grand Prince of Kyivan Rus' and his subjects in 988] and does not accept that it should come under another jurisdiction without its consent. Moreover, the Russian position reflects a more general distrust of the West and its values, and a growing reluctance toward ecumenism itself," he noted.

"The interruption of communion has caused a major schism within the Orthodox communion and has repercussions for ecumenical relations worldwide," he explained when addressing the complications arising from the break in communion between Moscow and Constantinople, which currently condition the potential participation of Russian Orthodox Christians in the Jubilee of 2033.

'Let us have faith in the Spirit'

The missionary clarified that, from a Catholic perspective, the path is one of hope and patience. "Let us have faith in the Spirit who will accompany this pilgrimage and help us discern what is possible at each stage," he added.

"Perhaps opportunities will arise to collaborate in teaching, pastoral work, or even in the shared participation in certain sacraments. That in itself would constitute a powerful shared witness," he noted.

Furthermore, he said that given that the final destination of this pilgrimage is Jerusalem, "it is important to establish contact with the patriarchs and heads of the Churches there without delay." In this regard, he maintained that since the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem is generally recognized as first among his brethren, "he must be involved from the very beginning."

Bouwen situated the significance of the 2033 Jubilee not only in the anniversary itself — 2,000 years since the Redemption — but also in the context in which it was announced: the ecumenical celebrations of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (325), held first in Iznik and then in Istanbul.

"While we celebrate in the Nicene Creed, the foundations of the Christian faith common to all the churches, the call to a shared pilgrimage toward 2033 turns our gaze toward the saving events at the heart of this faith: the incarnation, life, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ," he noted.

From this perspective, Jerusalem emerges as the natural destination of this shared journey. "Jerusalem is the place where these events took place," the missionary reminded, insisting that the jubilee can only bear fruit if it is lived as a genuine ecumenical process.

Bouwen also linked this perspective to a key historical precedent: the pilgrimage of St. Paul VI to Jerusalem in January 1964. "His ardent desire was to firmly root the Second Vatican Council, and the Church itself, in the mysteries that lie at the origin of its foundation and mission," he explained.

During that journey, the historic meeting with Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras took place, sealed with a kiss of peace that, in the words of this priest, "became an icon and a promise of the shared rediscovery and joint journey of our churches toward full communion."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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